Civilizations of Ancient Iraq

Benjamin R. Foster, Karen Polinger Foster

Princeton University Press, Jun 8, 2021 - History - 312 pages

In Civilizations of Ancient Iraq, Benjamin and Karen Foster tell the fascinating story of ancient Mesopotamia from the earliest settlements ten thousand years ago to the Arab conquest in the seventh century. Accessible and concise, this is the most up-to-date and authoritative book on the subject. With illustrations of important works of art and architecture in every chapter, the narrative traces the rise and fall of successive civilizations and peoples in Iraq over the course of millennia--from the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians to the Persians, Seleucids, Parthians, and Sassanians.

Ancient Iraq was home to remarkable achievements. One of the birthplaces of civilization, it saw the world's earliest cities and empires, writing and literature, science and mathematics, monumental art, and innumerable other innovations. Civilizations of Ancient Iraq gives special attention to these milestones, as well as to political, social, and economic history. And because archaeology is the source of almost everything we know about ancient Iraq, the book includes an epilogue on the discovery and fate of its antiquities. Compelling and timely, Civilizations of Ancient Iraq is an essential guide to understanding Mesopotamia's central role in the development of human culture.

Contents

• 01Foster_Ch01 114: 1
• 02Foster_Ch02 1534: 15
• 03Foster_Ch03 3550: 35
• 04Foster_Ch04 5170: 51
• 05Foster_Ch05 7186: 71
• 06Foster_Ch06 87104: 87
• 07Foster_Ch07 105128: 105
• 08Foster_Ch08 129146: 129
• 09Foster_Ch09 147167: 147
• 10Foster_Ch10 168190: 168
• 11Foster_Epi 191210: 191
• 12Foster_Notes 211230: 211
• 13Foster_Biblio 231282: 231
• 14Foster_Index 283298: 283

About the author

Benjamin R. Foster is the Laffan Professor of Assyriology and Babylonian Literature and curator of the Babylonian Collection at Yale University. Karen Polinger Foster is a lecturer in ancient Near Eastern and Aegean art at Yale.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Civilizations of Ancient Iraq
• Authors: Benjamin R. Foster, Karen Polinger Foster
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2021
• ISBN: 140083287X, 9781400832873
• Length: 312 pages
• Subjects: History / Ancient / General; History / Middle East / General; Social Science / Archaeology